The Blessèd Crow is father and daughter Tim and Iona Crahart from Risca, South-East Wales; Maiden Flight is their new debut album, and Tim and Iona have recorded 10 tracks at Cwmcarn’s Snake Mountain Studios, engineered by Sam Andrews and Mason Bradley. Tim wrote all the songs, and it’s a heady mixture of storytelling, folklore and some he has made up along the way, a burning sense of injustice and finger-pointing barbs against the age-old uncaring establishment.

Iona plays bodhràn and percussion, and Tim plays guitar, bouzouki, reed organ and banjo; together, they create marvellous harmonies which will please and thrill the audience. ‘Newport Rising’ is a fierce commemorative opener and reminder of the November 1839 march on Newport, where 4,000 Chartists under the leadership of John Frost poured down Stow Hill but 21 were killed in front of The Westgate Hotel by the infantry. ‘The Beekeeper’ is a cracking chorus, and ‘The Hollow Yew’ and ‘The Mystery’ deserve their places as memorable songs.

Tim’s writing turn much sharper and political as Maiden Flight progresses; ‘Highway Robbery’ is directed to the Tory Government and incredibly-Richy Sunak, and ‘Heave Ho’ celebrates the statue of slave trader and Tory MP Edward Colston being unceremoniously rolled through the streets and dumped in Bristol Harbour. Tim describes the anguish of a First World War widow, who blames ‘The King and The Kaiser’ for her lover’s death; and ‘The Pwca’ is a Celtic sprite or goblin, created by Shakespeare as Puck in The Midsummer Night’s Dream. The album finishes with the chorus song ‘Walk With You’ – what a finale, and Tim and Iona can feel very satisfied with their efforts. Well done, both! - Mick Tems